[Video/chinadaily.com.cn]

China and India have long served not only as major centers of civilization in Asia but also as global hubs of thought and innovation, said Bali Ram Deepak, professor at Jawaharlal Nehru University, India, and vice-president of the International Confucian Association. He made the remarks at the 2026 Nishan Forum on World Civilizations, which opened in Qufu, Jining in East China's Shandong province, on Sept 28. 

Over the past 2,000 years, the two countries have grown alongside one another through ongoing cultural exchanges — a legacy that still benefits us today, Deepak said in his keynote speech titled Dialogue of Civilizations: Chinese and Indian Traditions through the Ages.

He emphasized that cultural exchange is cyclical rather than one-directional, noting that human cultural history is jointly created by all civilizations, not by any single nation or people. Recognizing this, he said, will greatly enhance friendship and mutual understanding among peoples of all nations.

Deepak also stressed that people-to-people exchange is the pillar of all dialogue, and that dialogue among civilizations is the only path to building a community with a shared future for mankind.

Looking ahead, he called for sustained efforts to allow ideas to flow, people to connect, classics to be translated, and knowledge to inspire.